Imprint
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Sam thinks he's damaged when he doesn't imprint along with the rest of his pack. He secludes himself away and becomes something akin to a hermit in wolf's fur. When a certain brown eyed brunette returns for her best friend's wedding, Sam finds his life changing in the blink of an eye. Please Read AN.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - If you recognise it, I don't own it.**

 **AN**

 **I can't be bothered writing a long ass Author's note, so read the following bullet points.**

OOC, so if that offends your sensibilities, this ain't the story for you.

AU, again, if you prefer canon, most libraries stock the books.

This will be five chapters long. It is already written. It has a HEA, because ain't nobody got time for angsty endings... at least with this story.

It is BellaSam. That will not change, no matter how much you wish it.

Rated for Lemons and Language. If you're a puppy, press the back button. Only full grown Wolves and Vamps allowed.

Leave me some sugar if it pleases you. I'll post updates as and when I get a moment.

* * *

 **Imprint**

* * *

Coming back to Forks hadn't been as difficult as Bella imagined it would be. After the Cullen's left, after Edward broke her heart, she'd honestly thought that her life was over. A rather dramatic view on life, she now realised, but first love, and particularly the heartbreak of first love, is always hard to deal with. Angela and Jacob had been godsends. They'd held her up when she couldn't support her own weight, and they'd helped fix her while she was broken.

Now she was returning to the place she called home for their wedding and she couldn't be happier about it.

Spending four years away at University had done her the world of good. She'd matured, she was content with who she was as a person; independent of any man. She no longer defined herself by who she was dating, and she liked the young woman who stared back at her from the mirror. The weak-willed teenager that let people walk all over her had been totally destroyed.

Deplaning at Tacoma international, Bella pulled her cell from her backpack. As she waited for her suitcase, she pressed the cell to her ear.

"Bella?"

"Hey, dad."

"Are you here, honey?"

Bella smiled at the excitement she could hear in her dad's voice. After she pulled herself together, she'd worked hard at her relationship with her Father, knowing that she'd taken him for granted.

"Just got to Tacoma, Dad. I gotta go pick up the rental, and I'll be there in about four and a half hours, as long as the traffic is okay."

"Alright, Bells. You drive safe, you hear? Drop your stuff off at the house then head on over to Sue's."

Bella smiled at that. Her father had grown very close to Sue Clearwater after Harry tragically passed away. They were engaged, and according to Sue, would get married in a year or so.

"No probs, Dad. See you in a bit."

"Love you, Bell."

"Love you too."

Stashing her cell away, Bella grabbed her suitcase and headed quickly for the car rental service. Now that she was so close, she just wanted to get on the road and get a cuddle from her dad.

* * *

Sam grumbled to himself as he got out of the shower, seeing the clothes he'd laid out on the bed. He really didn't feel like going to the bonfire tonight, but as Jacob's best man, he didn't have much of a choice. There was excitement in the air on the Rez, and he was utterly done with it already.

Not only was one of the Pack getting married, but Bella Swan was returning from University. Sam wasn't sure which one his brothers were more happy about.

Honestly, he _was_ happy for Jacob. Truly. He just didn't particularly like the 'group outings.' Having to watch his pack with their imprints was hell when he had no one to call his own.

Paul had been the first to imprint, and Sam had been happy for both him and Emily. Imprinting was supposed to be a rare phenomenon, so for it to happen so fast was impressive. Only, then Jared had imprinted on Kim. Then Quil imprinted on Claire and Embry on Leah and vice versa.

Sam never imprinted on anyone, and he began to withdraw from the pack. When Jacob imprinted on Angela, it had been the last straw for Sam. He'd thought, stupidly, that he hadn't imprinted because he was Alpha, but by all rights, Jacob should be Alpha and he hadn't had a problem imprinting.

After that, Sam stopped socialising. He was clearly defective. There was something wrong with him, or something wrong with his wolf. Instead, whenever the pack arranged to do something, Sam would run boundary lines. He'd patrol until he was so tired, he just collapsed where he was standing. Honestly, he spent more time as a wolf than he did as a man these days.

As such, while his brothers and their imprints were all dancing at the thought of their precious Bella returning, Sam had never even met her.

With a deep sigh, Sam pulled his clothes on and ran a hand through his messy hair. Time to go make nice for a few hours. If he was lucky, he'd be able to slip away from the celebrations early.

* * *

Bella, freshly showered and changed at her dad's, pulled into the driveway of Sue's house. Her dad was waiting for her outside, and she hadn't even turned the engine off before he had her door open, pulling her out into a bear hug.

"I missed you, dad," she murmured into his shirt, taking in his musky scent happily.

"You look so grown up, Bells, so beautiful," he replied, his voice gruff with emotion. She pulled back, stepping into the warm embrace of Sue Clearwater.

"Hey, Sue. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, sweetheart. Your father is right, you look stunning."

Before Bella could thank her, Seth was bounding out of the house, sweeping Bella into his arms and swirling around with her.

"B! You ready for some fun?"

Bella laughed, smacking him lightly in the chest as he released her. "Hello to you too, Seth."

"The bonfire's already started, we were just waiting for you," he told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"You two go on ahead," Charlie said, chuckling at his soon to be stepson. "We'll follow you down shortly."

Tugging Bella along with him, Seth set a steady pace as they walked towards the bonfire.

"We've missed you, B. You are sticking around for a while this time, right?"

Bella nodded. "Sure. I don't know how long for yet, but I'll probably stay for the summer at least. How is everyone?"

"Ah, we're all good. Same old 'round here, you know? Everyone's excited for the first pack baby though, and we're taking bets on who'll be birthing it. The most money is on Kim and Jared," Seth told her, an easy grin on his face.

"My bet's on Jake and Ang," she replied cheerfully. "Honeymoon baby!"

Seth laughed, nodding. "I got money on Emily and Paul. Em's just so... motherly. She spends most of her time in the kitchen, feeding us lot, and she's the one the girls go to when they're not feeling well. She was born to be a mom."

"Yeah, she really was... still though, can you imagine Lahote as a dad?"

"I'm pretty sure he's the most excited to see you, you know. He misses arguing with you."

"I'm sure it won't take long," Bella agreed. Ducking out from under Seth's arm, she jumped on his back, making him laugh. "Come on, little bro, get jogging."

* * *

Sam stood by the fire with Paul and Jared, a beer in his hand, half listening to them discussing the girls holiday plans. It had been Kim's idea originally, but Leah and Emily had been quick to agree and with only a little prodding, Angela had been in as well. He wasn't particularly interested in the discussion, given that he didn't have an imprint to miss, but this conversation was better than watching Jacob and Angela being all lovey in the corner, and Collin and Brady were regaling Embry and Quil about some superhero movie they watched.

He was brought to attention when Paul whistled loudly, getting the attention of everybody present.

"Well, that's a sight for sore eyes! Kitten!" He greeted loudly.

A girly shriek of joy was the precursor to a very pretty girl running across the sand to jump into Paul's waiting arms.

"G-Man, I missed you!" Bella murmured as he spun her around.

Jared, waiting impatiently for his own hug, said, "Come on Shorty, gimme some love!"

Sam watched as Bella was passed from wolf to wolf, all greeting her happily and with so much love he could barely stomach watching. What was so special about this girl that his pack was falling over backwards just to get some attention from her?

He watched her embrace the girls next, all chattering and giggling excitedly.

"Have you even met Bella, Sam?" Jared asked, frowning slightly.

Sam shook his head. "No, can't say I've had the pleasure."

"Maybe if you turned up to any of the bonfires or, you know, any kind of social gathering over the last five years, you would have," Paul scoffed.

"She's been away at Uni for the last four years, hasn't she?" Sam asked, glaring at Paul.

"She's been home a few times, mostly in the summers," Jared said. "And twice for Christmas. Hang on, I'll go get her and introduce you."

Sam shrugged. He wasn't altogether that interested in meeting her if he was honest. Still, when Jared wrapped a muscled arm around the slim shoulders and led her towards Sam, he figured it wouldn't hurt him to be polite to her.

"Shorty, this is Sam. Sam, Bella."

The pretty young woman looked up at him from under her lashes, and as his eyes met hers, gravity shifted. White noise pounded in his ears as he stared at her, the universe seemed to tilt on it's axis as Sam felt a warm glow spread throughout his body.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, and Sam had never heard a more musical, beautiful sound in his life.

"I'm... I'm Sam," he replied, dazed as he took in every inch of her face.

She giggled happily. "I know. Jellybean just said so."

Before Sam could ask what she was talking about, Jared had her on the floor, tickling her sides while she screamed for mercy through raucous laughter.

"What. Have. I. Told. You. About. Calling. Me. Jellybean?" Jared asked, though his amusement was clear.

"I give, I give," Bella pleaded, trying to push him away.

Sam growled unintentionally, making Paul and Jared stop and look at him strangely.

Paul was the first to get it, looking between Bella and Sam a few times, before he laughed. "It could only happen to you, Kitten," he choked out, trying to repress his amusement.

Jared stopped his tickle torture, helping Bella up out of the sand. Bella was looking between the three of them, an adorably confused expression on her face.

"What did I miss?" She asked.

"Sam, uh, he imprinted on you," Jared told her quietly.

"No. He didn't. You didn't, did you?" she said, her eyes darting between them, before they landed on Sam.

Sam shook his head, then stopped and frowned. "I, uh, I think so?"

"You think so?"

Sam blinked. "I, uh, yeah. I did."

If he could hit himself without looking like a complete nutter, he would have done so. Why was he sounding like such an idiot? He watched Bella look uncertainly at Paul.

"Is he... uh, alright?" She asked, nodding her head at Sam.

"He's fine, Kitten, just a little shocked is all. Why don't you go and get something to eat with the girls. You and Sam can discuss this later?"

Bella smiled and shrugged slightly. "Sure, sure."

The Jacob-ism made Sam want to scowl. He suddenly hated that she was so close to the rest of his pack. Why did Jared and Paul both have nicknames for her and her for them? What did the others call her? He growled quietly.

Bella rolled her eyes but smiled at him before she wandered off. Sam watched her ass sway slightly as she walked. He was enjoying the view immensely, or he was until she plonked said ass down on Jake's knee and leaned close to whisper in his ear.

* * *

"Sam just imprinted on me, apparently," Bella whispered in Jake's ear. His eyes widened in shock, and he glanced over his shoulder to look at the Alpha of the pack before returning his concerned gaze to her.

"Oh. Um... Are you... okay with that?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, well. I don't know him. He's never been around when I've been up here, so I don't know _him_."

Jake nodded. "Sam's a good guy, Bells. He thought there was something wrong with him when we all imprinted and he didn't and he cut himself off from, well, from everything. You'll be good for him."

"Hey now, don't be marrying me off, Jake. I just told you, _I don't know him!_ Besides, I thought the wolf became whatever the imprint wanted? What if I don't want a... boyfriend?"

"Settle down B, I didn't mean it like that. All I mean, is that while you're here, he might get out a bit more. Remember what it's like to actually live his life."

Bella nodded, snuggling into Jake's embrace.

"Charlie is gonna freak," Jake choked out suddenly, laughing.

Bella hit him in the chest. "He is not gonna freak. He knows about the wolfy bit now, and Sue will keep him chilled."

"Its a good job I'm not the jealous type," Angela said cheerfully as she strolled over to her fiance and best friend.

"Ah, I gots my own wolfy now, Ang, I don't need yours," Bella replied, standing up and wrapping her arm around Angela's waist.

"Eh?"

"Sam imprinted," Jacob explained, a soppy smile on his face as he looked at his imprintee.

Angela shrieked happily, pulling Bella over to the other girls to share the news.

* * *

"What are you gonna do?" Paul asked, drawing Sam's gaze away from Bella and Jacob.

"What am I gonna do about what?"

"Don't play stupid, Sam, it doesn't suit you," Jared said quietly.

Sam shrugged. "Whatever she wants me to do, I suppose. I don't... What if she doesn't want anything to do with me?"

Before either of them could reply, they heard Angela's shriek of happiness. All three men turned to watch her pull Bella to the other girls.

"They're all going to be ecstatic," Paul said with a grin. "They already considered her one of them, but now she really is."

"As for Shorty not wanting anything to do with you," Jared said, turning back to the discussion at hand, "You need to get to know her and let her get to know you. Take it slowly, let her lead, and it'll sort itself out."

"You think so?" Sam asked doubtfully. It wasn't that he didn't think that worked for them, rather he wondered if he even knew how to let someone close enough to get to know him anymore.

Paul nodded. "Bella is... She's our sunshine. She's there for the girls for whatever they need, she's a big sister to the younger boys, a little sister to us, she's Jake's best friend, and we all adore her. There is nothing about her not to love."

Sam nodded. "What about the thing with the leeches. Is that definitely over and done with?"

Jared smiled. "According to Bella, and this is a direct quote by the way, Who needs vamps when I got you lot? Turning into a wolf is way cooler than sparkling in the sun anyway."

Laughing, Sam let his gaze turn back to the girl they were discussing. He shrugged. "She got a point."


	2. Chapter 2

"I hear you imprinted on my girl?"

Sam was shocked out of his thoughts by the question, and he turned his gaze away from the fire to look at Charlie.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. I... uh..."

"It's alright, Lad, I know you didn't exactly plan on it," Charlie placated, patting Sam on the shoulder. "I had to come over and make sure you know that you gotta look after my baby is all. She's... she's special, Sam. You gotta know how lucky you are to have her in your life."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "I'm beginning to realise that," he admitted. "I've been watching her with the others. It's like she _belongs_ here or something. Like, she should have been born pack all along."

Charlie smiled slightly. "The pack helped her a lot when the Cullen's left town. Jacob and Angela were her main support at first, but when Jake phased, he brought Bella along for the ride with him instead of abandoning her like we all know he probably should have. The woman you're looking at is, at least partially, a product of the support and love that the pack gave her. I'll always be thankful for that."

"I won't hurt her, Charlie. Honestly, I don't think I could."

"I know, Son, I know. She'll be good for you too, if you let her."

With that said, and a final pat to the shoulder, Charlie wandered off back to where Sue was sitting, joining in with her laughter when Paul pulled Bella into his lap and blew a raspberry on her neck.

"Eww, Paul!" Bella whined, making Sam smile. "You are such a dog!"

"Wolf," Paul replied smugly when Bella got up with a huff.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Cujo," Bella sneered, before she laughed and run away from Paul. He stood up, trembling, but before Sam could intervene, he'd phased and set off after Bella.

"Sam, it's fine," Jared said running up beside him as a tremor shocked through Sam's own body.

"He just, I mean, she, I mean -"

"Sam! Look," Jared murmured, pointing to where Paul was leaning over a laughing Bella, licking her cheek.

Sam watched with disbelief as Bella pushed Paul away, still laughing, before she stood up and bent slightly to stroke his fur. Paul whined at her, nudging her to his back, and without thought she climbed onto his back, holding onto his fur gently when he set off running down the beach.

"How the hell is she so comfortable with that?" he asked, raking a shaking hand through his hair. His wolf was shocked, but also somewhat angry that _his_ imprint was _riding_ another wolf.

Jared shrugged. "She's always been comfortable with it, more so that the other girls even. Jake loves it when she brushes his fur, and Paul is always taking her for runs through the forest. Shorty's good with weird."

As they watched Paul appear again in the distance, Bella still on his back, Sam shook his head. "I don't know how to do this anymore," he admitted quietly. "I just... I'm so used to being alone, I don't know how to be sociable anymore."

"Is it not hard to watch her interact with us while you're sitting over here alone?" Jared asked, clearly curious.

Sam nodded. "Of course it is. I just don't know how to..."

Jared sighed. "The Elders will be here soon to tell the stories. You should sit with Bella. You don't have to talk, just sit next to her, get used to being around her."

"You don't think she'd mind?"

Jared smiled softly. "It was her idea."

* * *

Climbing off Paul, Bella patted his fur before she wandered back to sit with the girls.

"So, what are you going to do about Sam?" Angela asked, almost bouncing in her seat as Bella sat down beside Emily.

She shrugged. "I don't know yet. I'll have to get to know him."

"You'll be moving to the reservation, though, right?" Angela continued.

Bella frowned. "Settle down, Ang, it literally only just happened. You're thinking a little fast, no?"

"I just..."

"I know it all happened fast and beautifully for you and Jake, hun, but you were already friends. You knew Jake before the phase so it wasn't such a big difference. I've never even spoken to Sam."

"Bella's right," Emily added. "The fates know what they're doing with the imprint, but it's not a magic love potion. It's just a... base to build on. Sure, it's a bigger base than most people get, but it's still just a base. It can't be all sunshine and roses just because he looked at her."

Angela nodded sadly. "I know. I just... I'm so excited that you're home, and I just thought that if you moved here, you'd be around more and we'd see you more, you know?"

"Hey, Forks isn't a million miles away," Bella said with a grin. "I'm going to stay at the house there, but I'm sure I'll be down here most days anyway. Besides, you and Jake are off on honeymoon in a few days, so you won't have time to miss me."

"We're only going away for a week," Angela replied. "It's not a good idea to be away from the Res for too long."

Bella nodded. "It's still a week where you can concentrate about just the two of you."

Angela smiled. "I'm still glad you'll be around more. I've, we've all really missed you."

Bella wrapped her arm around her friend. "I missed you too, Ang."

"Billy and Old Quil are here," Leah murmured, nodding her head to where the two Elders were approaching, Quil pushing Billy's chair. Bella hopped up with a happy smile, heading in their direction.

"Uncle Billy!" she greeted cheerfully, bending down to hug him.

"Bella, my child, how are you?" Billy asked, a wide smile gracing his ageing face.

"I'm very well, thank you," she replied, moving around to hug Quil. "It's very good to be home."

"It's good to have you here, sweetheart," Old Quil said, squeezing her for a moment before they stepped away from each other. Bella moved behind Billy's chair, pushing it across the sand towards the bonfire. She pushed him to his usual spot beside the chair left empty for Quil.

"You will have to come for dinner soon, Bella," Billy said as Sam approached.

Bella nodded her agreement, offering Sam a smile as she made her way back to the girls.

* * *

"I imprinted," Sam said when he reached Billy and Quil. Their eyes widened as they looked between him and the retreating back of Bella, before they both smiled.

"That's fantastic news," Billy announced happily. "Bella is a wonderful young woman, she will do well by you and the pack."

Sam nodded once. "Thank you."

"We'll be starting shortly, Sam," Quil informed him quietly. "Perhaps you could sit with young Bella. She's heard the stories before, of course, but now she is a part of it, it will be even more special for her. She's always enjoyed the legends."

With another nod of acknowledgement, Sam turned away from the elders, scanning the rapidly filling logs for his imprint. When he didn't see her, he sighed and walked over to his usual place directly across from Billy and Quil. He felt the familiar ache in his chest when he saw the others holding their imprints to their sides, or in Paul and Emily's case, her sitting in his lap while he nuzzled her neck. Before the pain could get too much, he felt a hand brush over his shoulder and looked up to see Bella standing before him with a small smile on her face.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" she asked quietly.

"Of course not," he replied quickly, patting the log beside him.

She shook her head slightly, dropping to the sand instead, leaning her back against the log. If he moved his leg just a few inches over, she would be leaning against him. Refraining, he let her presence soothe the ache in his chest. He heard Billy's voice over the quiet conversations, and everyone fell silent almost immediately. He didn't need to pay attention to the legends, hell he'd heard them so many times he could recite them in his sleep, and instead, he concentrated on listening to the rhythm of Bella's heartbeat, he let her scent envelope him, and he concentrated on not reaching out to pull her to him as he wished he could.

She surprised him when she shifted half way through the imprinting legend, moving just enough to eliminate the space between them as she leant against his leg. He hesitated for a moment, before he let his hand drop to stroke gently through her hair. She sighed in contentment, making him repeat the sound as his hand sifted through her hair. This had to be some form of heaven.

As Billy wrapped up the stories, and Bella sat up, Sam watched her yawn. He could see how tired she was, and he wanted nothing more than to carry her off to his bed so he could lie by her side all night and watch her sleep. He knew he was being ridiculous. He couldn't do that, especially not yet.

Paul and Emily walked over to them as Bella stood and stretched. Sam couldn't help but eye her smooth stomach as he top rose up with her arms. He felt a twitch in his pants, and clamped down on the thoughts running through his mind before he could get hard.

"Hey Kitten, your staying in our spare room, yeah?"

Bella shook her head. "Not tonight, G-Man. I'm looking forward to getting intimately reacquainted with my own bed."

"B, you can't drive home, you're falling asleep where you stand," Emily argued, concern evident on her beautiful face.

"I'll be fine," Bella murmured weakly behind another yawn.

"I'll drive you home," Sam offered. "I can run back without a problem," he added when she looked like she was going to argue with him too.

With a sigh, Bella nodded. "Fine. Just let me go say bye to my dad, okay?"

"Sure. I'm ready whenever you are," he assured her as she wandered off to find her father.

"You two looked pretty close during the legends," Paul said quietly, a grin on his face as he quirked his eyebrow at Sam.

Sam smiled sheepishly. "She's... She's perfect."

Emily 'aww'ed', making Sam blush slightly.

"We're going to shoot off, see you tomorrow at Jake's, man," Paul said, punching Sam's shoulder. Emily hugged him briefly, before the two headed off arm in arm towards their home on the edge of the woods.

"Hey, are you ready?"

The sweet voice came from behind him, and Sam turned to find Bella looking at him, her beautiful brown eyes blinking sleepily.

"Where's your car?"

"Sue's," she replied quietly.

"Do you mind if I carry you? I can get us there a lot faster than walking."

She smiled. "Turn around."

He turned, slightly confused until she pushed on his shoulder for him to bend. He did so, and she jumped on his back. He caught her legs as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Holding her securely on his back, Sam set off towards Sue's at a run. Only a few minutes later, her car came into view. He felt a disappointment run through him and he cursed himself for moving so fast. He didn't want to have to put her down yet, he was enjoying having her wrapped around his back, her scent swirling around him as he ran.

He eased her off, taking the keys she offered and opening the passenger door for her. They drove in silence, and he cursed himself again when he realised he had no idea what he could say to her. The silence wasn't uncomfortable though, and she seemed quite content to listen to the music playing quietly on the radio. When he pulled up outside the Chief's house, he turned to look at her, still unsure of what to say, only to find her fast asleep.

He smiled softly, taking a moment to just study her face. She was stunning, so soft and open.

"Bella? Bella," He said quietly, shaking her slightly. Her eyelids flickered a few times before her eyes opened properly.

"Sorry," she croaked, twisting in the seat to take her seat belt off. "Thanks for the ride, Sam."

"Anytime," he replied, meaning it absolutely. He got out of the car, walking around to open her door and help her out, and then walked her to the door. When she'd unlocked it and stepped inside, she turned to face him.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nodded. "At the wedding."

"G'night, Sam."

"Night, Bella. Make sure you lock up behind you."

She smiled. "I will."

* * *

Sam phased into his wolf, setting off at a run towards the La Push boarder. He always did a boarder run at night, but for some reason, he didn't want to be running this evening. There was nothing out of the ordinary around, no odd scents or the horrible sweetness of Vamps. Before he even realised what he was doing, Sam headed back in the direction he'd come, stopping only when he reached the boundary line of the woods behind Bella's house.

He whined quietly before he curled up, his face in the direction of the house, and fell fast asleep in moments.


	3. Chapter 3

**Um... Oops? I'm so sorry, guys, I've been working on a BellaJasper story and posted that chapter instead of this one, which is the right one. I really am sorry. Enjoy :P**

* * *

Bella woke early, and after taking a moment to adjust to the light filtering in through the thin curtains, she sat up and grabbed her cell from the bedside table.

Pressing a few buttons, she sat the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she threw the covers off and climbed out of bed, heading for the bathroom.

After a few rings, Angela picked up her own phone.

"Morning, Bella. I was going to phone you soon, can you believe I'm getting married today? Your dress is here, and your shoes, and the hairdresser will be here soon and you're not here. Oh, I wish you'd stayed here last night, I woke up two hours ago and couldn't get back to sleep and, oh, Emily, thank you, and what if something goes wrong or -"

"Ang! You need to settle down! Everything is going to be wonderful, I am up, and I will be setting off within the next fifteen minutes or so, which means I'll be by your side within the hour. Put Emily on the phone for a minute."

"Bell?"

"Hey, Em. Have you given her a cup of tea to try and settle her?"

"Yep, just now. How long are you going to be?"

"I'll be there within the hour. Do I need to fetch anything with me?"

"Your make up box, because I haven't got a foundation in your shade. Other than that, just your lovely self."

Bella chuckled. "Alright, Em, I'll be there soon."

"No worries, Bell."

Bella put the phone down, tossing it on her bed as she walked into the bathroom to shower and clean her teeth. Fifteen minutes later, she was back in her bedroom, putting on her workout clothes and putting her hair up into a messy bun. Picking her cell up and throwing it into her bag, Bella turned to the window to pick up her make up box.

As she turned away, ready to leave the room, she froze then turned back to the window. Just by the treeline, she saw a black wolf lay down. It had to be Sam. She knew all the other wolves on sight, but even without that, she just knew it was him. Heading downstairs, Bella put her bag and box on the hallway table then walked through the kitchen to the back porch.

"Sam?"

She didn't call him loudly because she knew he would hear her. His head perked up from between his large paws, and before she could blink, he was up on his feet, breaking the line to trot towards her.

She hesitated for a second, before she sat down on the porch steps and waited for him. He walked up in front of her, before he sat down, his head tilted to the side as though curious as to what she would do. She noticed he had his shorts tied to his back leg, and almost blushed at the idea that he'd been outside her house, naked.

"Shouldn't you be at Jakes?" she asked, reaching out a hand slowly to stroke the fur on his head. It was soft, even softer than the others. He purred at her touch and she smiled. He whined when she took her hand away, making her giggle.

"I'm heading up to the Res, you wanna come with?"

The wolf nodded, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he bared his teeth a little in an approximation of a smile. Before she could turn away, Sam phased and bent down to pull his shorts on.

Bella covered her eyes with a gasp, but the damage had already been done. She wasn't sure if it was because he was Alpha, or if it was just Sam, but he was certainly... gifted.

Standing up, she waited until he cleared his throat to move her hand away, only to find him standing closer to her than she'd expected. Her cheeks burned as she felt herself blush fiercely.

He reached up to run a finger down her cheek.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. She could see the awe and affection in his eyes and it took her breath away.

"Uh... thank you. We should go... Ang is freaking out already, and I'm sure J isn't much better."

He nodded, following her through the house and out to the car, climbing into the passenger seat. She stashed her bag and make up box on the backseat and got into the car, putting her belt on quickly before she pulled out of the drive and headed for La Push.

"So... are you planning on sticking around for a while?" Sam asked quietly.

She nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I was already planning on staying at least for the summer, but now with the imprint... I won't leave you to suffer, Sam."

"You shouldn't give anything up for me," he argued.

"I wouldn't be giving anything up," she explained. "I didn't have any solid plans for what I would do after the summer, so when I do make plans, I know what boundaries I'm working within. It's really not an issue."

He shook his head. "I hate that you feel bound to Forks and La Push because of me."

"I don't. Jared and Paul have explained imprinting to me in depth, Sam, I know what it's about, I know how it feels for both the imprinter and the imprintee, and I know the limitations on both as well. I understand that _I'm_ not bound by anything."

"So you know that you'll start to feel the separation soon? Unless you reject the imprint of course."

She nodded. "I know what to expect. I'm not coming into this blind."

He smiled at her as she pulled into Jake's drive. "Thank you for the lift," he murmured.

"Anytime."

The repetition of what he said to her the previous night made him smile. "For what it's worth? I'm glad it was you I imprinted on." With that said, he got out of the car and walked into Jake's, pausing only to turn and wave at her briefly.

* * *

"It's time to go," Bella announced a few hours later, thankful that she could finally hand off the unbearably anxious Angela over to her new husband. With a final glance in the mirror, Bella walked downstairs to wait for the bride and the other bridesmaids.

The dress Ang had chosen for Bella was admittedly beautiful, floor length coral chiffon, with a shoulder strap that was decorated with a waterfall of crystals. The bridesmaids were wearing similar outfits, only theirs were strapless. Angela had wanted something simple to show the difference between her maid of honour and the bridesmaids.

Angela walked down the stairs carefully, making Bella smile. She was wearing a knee length ivory strapless dress with a waistband and a puffed out skirt. As the girls left the house, Bella could only hope that she could be as happy with Sam one day as Angela was with Jake.

The ceremony passed by without a hitch, and by the end, Bella was very happy that she'd decided to wear waterproof makeup, because otherwise her face would have been a mess. As the best man, Sam was the one to walk with Bella behind the bride and groom, and without hesitation her tucked her arm in his, leading her along for the pictures.

"You look stunning, Isabella," he whispered as they followed Jake and Angela to the cliff edge for pictures.

"Thank you. You look very handsome," she replied with a smile. It wasn't a lie. The boys were wearing beige trousers with white shirts and coral waistcoats. As the wedding was somewhat more casual than an average wedding, they all had their top buttons undone, their waistcoats undone, and now that the ceremony was done, they'd turned their trousers up at the bottoms.

The pictures seemed to take forever, but in reality took less than an hour. Soon, they were at the reception, and Bella was happy to be sat down with her friends. Music played in the background as they ate, but when the food was gone, Seth set up his decks and the party really started. Bella wasn't surprised that the adults chose that moment to call Jake and Angela's attention to the time, telling them it was time for their dance before they had to leave for their honeymoon.

Taking their camera's out, Bella, Emily, Kim, Jared and Paul settled their selves in different positions around the dance floor to video the first dance of Mr and Mrs Jacob Black, and once more, Bella had tears in her eyes.

Waving off her best friends, Bella returned to the table to sit with her friends. She hadn't had a drink all day, unsure as to whether she would be driving home again that night, when Paul put a tall glass in front of her.

"What is it?" she asked, wrinkling her nose delicately.

"JD and coke, just as you like it," he replied promptly. "Drink it, J's getting you another one. You are entirely too sober."

"I might have to drive," she replied. "I don't know what I'm doing yet."

Paul laughed. "Like we're gonna let you leave tonight. Behave, Kitten. Our spare room is ready for you, as is Jared and Kim's, and I know that Sam has a spare room... or you know, spare room is _his_ bed..."

"Paul!"

"I'm just saying, Kitten. Seriously, you know you're staying and you know that we'll look after you just fine. Let your hair down, baby."

Picking up the glass, Bella took a sip, sighing with relief. "Thanks Paul."

"Sure, sure. I think Leah is looking for you as well. Something about getting changed now that Ang and Jake have gone?"

Bella grinned. "Oh hell yes. This dress is driving me mad. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Downing the rest of the drink, Bella stood up and looked around, easily spotting a waving Leah. She walked over, picking up Emily and Kim on route, and the four of them headed down to Leah's, where they'd already stashed clothes earlier that day.

"Are you sure you want to get changed?" Kim teased Bella. "Sam couldn't keep his eyes off you today."

Bella shrugged.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Leah asked, frowning slightly.

"I just... I want him to want me or like me, for me, you know? With the rest of you, I know its real because there's no supernatural nothing binding you too me. I love you all and you all love me, and we're a family and it's all good, right? But with Sam, I'm always wondering if he likes me for who I am, or if it's because the imprint is leading his reactions."

Kim shook her head. "I thought the same thing with Jared, but it's not like that. I know he's told you about this. In short, we are made for them and they for us. Even if the imprint didn't exist, it's likely that we'd still eventually end up together because there is no one better out there for us."

Bella nodded. She knew that. It was just... harder to keep it in mind when she was on the other end of the imprint. "Come on, let's get changed. These dresses might be beautiful, but they aren't exactly functional."

The girls laughed and followed Leah into her house and up to her bedroom.

* * *

Sam sat down at the table with Jared, Paul, Embry and Quil. The girls had been gone for a little over half an hour, and he was about to ask if one of them should go and check on them when they walked in, all laughing their heads off. Sam's jaw almost hit the table when he saw what Bella was wearing.

He knew she was beautiful, but Jesus Christ on a cracker. She was wearing knee high boots, with a tiny denim skirt and a red tank top. She'd taken her hair down from the elegant knot it had been in and it fell around her in beautiful curls. Her make up was still light, but she'd added a little more to her eyes, making them appear even wider and more sensual than they usually did.

The other girls looked beautiful as well, of course, and Sam was sure that the boys were very appreciative of their imprints efforts, but by god, he'd never seen a sexier sight than Bella at that moment.

Jared kissed Kim in greeting, before turning to Bella with a grin.

"Hey, Shorty, sup this," he said, handing over a drink to Bella.

"Cheers Jellybean," she replied cheerfully, taking the drink.

Sam caught her around the waist and pulled her towards him, taking her by surprise. He was trying to keep the wolf on a leash, but he was fighting a losing battle and he knew it.

"Hey," she said, grinning cheekily.

"You look criminal," he growled in her ear.

"You should call my dad to come and arrest me then," she replied in a low murmur. "Unless you have handcuffs handy?"

"Dance with me?"

She nodded, putting her drink down and letting him lead her to the dance floor. With the older people having left shortly after Angela and Jacob, Seth had switched the music to that more appropriate to the younger crowd, and Bella turned her back to Sam, grinding back against him. His hands fell to her hips, and he lost himself to the music and to the feel of her arse rubbing up against him.

Eventually, Bella stopped, waving a hand in front of her face like a fan. He smiled but nodded when she gestured back to the table, following behind her. She picked up and downed what was left of her drink, laughing when Paul pushed a fresh one in front of her. When Sam raised his eyebrow at Bella, she pointed at Paul.

"He's of the opinion that I am entirely too sober."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Of course he is."

"I need some air, it's boiling," Bella whispered.

"Come for a walk on the beach with me?" Sam asked.

Nodding, Bella leant over the table to tell Paul where they were going. "Text me if you're leaving before we get back."

"Will do, Kitten."


	4. Chapter 4

Sam laced his fingers with Bella's as they walked down the beach. Bella had taken her boots off, reasoning that though her clumsiness was no longer as crippling as it once was, it still probably wasn't the greatest idea to try and walk on the soft sand in four inch heels.

"Are you feeling better now?" Sam asked, as they sat down on a piece of driftwood.

Bella nodded. "It was just really hot is all. I'm fine."

"Yes you are," Sam muttered under his breath. "How are you feeling about the imprint? I know we haven't really talked about it."

"I feel... cautiously optimistic?" she replied hesitantly. "You?"

"I feel... honestly terrified."

"Of?"

"Fucking everything up. Chasing you away with a stupid mistake because of my inability to be sociable. Doing something to hurt you."

"Sam... You won't hurt me. I won't say you won't ever fuck up, because, hey, everyone makes mistakes. Have you ever been around Jared and Kim when they argue? I'm sure I'll fuck up more than a few times as well. You're over thinking this."

"How so?"

"Would you find me attractive without the imprint?" Bella asked after a moment's pause.

"Absolutely," Sam replied instantly.

"And would you like me as a person without the imprint?"

"I don't know how anyone couldn't," he admitted. "You seem to draw people like moths to a flame. You're... you're lovely, Bella. Absolutely lovely, inside and out."

"Then really, that's all you need to know. Stop overthinking and just let shit happen naturally. It'll come."

Awestruck by the beautiful girl in front of him, Sam stopped thinking and followed his instincts, leaning forward to press his lips to hers. She kissed him back instantly, applying slightly more force and raising her arm to run her fingers through his short hair. Sam pulled her to him, moving her so she was straddling his lap as he gripped her closer. She smelled so good, tasted even better, and he needed her more than he'd ever needed anything else in the world.

Losing himself into the kiss, he was shocked back into reality when he leant back, forgetting he was perched on driftwood, and landed on his back on the sand, Bella on top of him. They were silent for a moment, before Bella started giggling against him, loosing her composure completely as the giggles turned to a full on belly laugh. Sam joined in, unable to deny how infectious her laughter was to him, and the lay laughing for long minutes.

Getting control of themselves, Bella climbed off him carefully, and they both stood up, Sam throwing his arm around Bella's shoulders. They were about to walk back when Bella's cell jingled in her pocket.

"Paul and Emily and getting ready to leave. I should head back, I'm staying in their spare room," she said, and he could feel an echo of her disappointment along with his own.

"You could... I mean... I have a spare room, you know? You could... if you wanted... I'd..."

"Do you want me to come and stay at yours, Sam, or are you trying to be polite?" she asked, a teasing lilt to her tone.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'd really like you to come and stay with me. Please?"

"Okay."

He grinned. "We should still head back. I need to see if anyone is sober enough to do a boundary run."

Bella nodded. "Sure."

* * *

Bella didn't try to hide her curiosity as Sam led her into the small wood cabin on the edge of the woods. She'd already aww'ed and cooed at the cute wrap around porch and wild flowers at the front, and now she was in a warmly decorated living room. She could feel Sam's eyes on her as she looked around, and she had a vague impression he was hoping for her approval on his home.

"It's lovely here, Sam," she whispered, tilting her head to look up at him. "You have a beautiful home."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you. Are you tired?"

She shook her head. "Not really."

"Would you like to watch a movie?"

"Sure. Can I steal a t-shirt though, so I can get changed?"

He nodded, leading her to his bedroom. He took a shirt out of the dark wood chest of drawers, handing it to her as she peered around the room. He'd decorated it in muted, earthy colours, and she couldn't help but feel it fit him perfectly. The bed spread was what drew her attention though. It had a picture of a cliff spanning the entire length of it, and it looked familiar.

"It's the cliffs at first beach that we go diving off when we get good weather," he told her quietly. "My mother had it made for me."

"It's gorgeous," she murmured.

"The bathroom is just through there, and the spare room is this door here. I'll go and make some popcorn while you get changed, okay?"

When she nodded, he stroked her cheek before turning to leave her alone. Bella pushed open the door to the spare room, and pulled her tank off, folding it up and placing it on the table in the corner. She did the same with her skirt, and put her boots beneath it, sighing with relief at having them off.

Pulling Sam's shirt over her head, she giggled to herself at how far down it came on her, fitting her like a dress. It swamped her small frame completely, and she knew she must look like a child playing dress up in her parents closet.

She moved to the bathroom, quickly using the toilet and washing her hands before she splashed her face with water. Using toilet paper, she wiped off as much of her make up as she could, then shrugged to herself. It would have to do until the following morning, when she would be able to wash up properly at Emily's.

Padding down the stairs to the living room, she found Sam sitting on the sofa waiting for her, the biggest bowl of popcorn she'd ever seen on the table beside him. She watched his eyes darken as he took the sight of her in his shirt in, before she sat down beside him, tucking her feet underneath herself.

"What are we watching?"

He shrugged. "I thought I'd wait and see what you wanted to watch. I have a huge selection," he replied, waving his hand carelessly at a large bookcase. Of the six shelves, only one of them held books. The other five were filled to bursting with DVD's.

"You pick one. I don't have time to watch them often, so I doubt I'll have seen whatever you choose," she said, nudging him with her shoulder. He browsed through them quickly before turning back to her.

"Horror?"

She smiled. "Sure."

He nodded, pulling a DVD case down and inserting the disc. She wasn't surprised when he turned the light off before he joined her again on the sofa, wrapping his arm around her as she leant into his side. It was so natural, that they didn't even realise what they'd done until they both froze for a moment. Bella was the first to recover, shrugging and burying herself further into his side. Sam squeezed her lightly, before he settled his hand to run through her long hair.

* * *

Sam wasn't sure when he'd died, but this was surely heaven. He was sitting on his sofa, with Bella pressed up against his side, her scent filling his nostrils, his hand gliding through her soft hair. She'd fallen asleep midway through the movie, but he hadn't the heart nor the inclination to wake her.

If he woke her, she'd go to bed. Alone. Leaving him alone in his own bed. He had no wish for her to ever leave his side again. The movie was finished, the title screen was filling the tv, and Sam was just drifting off to sleep when Bella stirred against his side. She sat up slowly, patting his arm clumsily.

"Sam... Sam..."

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Bedtime," she murmured, stretching her back a little.

He nodded reluctantly, picking up the remote to turn the TV off. With the little bit of light the TV was giving off gone, they were suddenly sitting in complete darkness. Sam could still see perfectly, so he swept Bella up in his arms, chuckling at her undignified squeak, and headed up the stairs. He put her down gently at the door to the spare room, pushing it open and flicking on the light for her. She rose up on her tiptoes to press her soft lips to his own, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, unable to resist the urge to pull her closer to him.

"Sleep with me, Bella?" he murmured against her lips.

She startled, pulling back to look at him. "Just sleep?" she asked, biting her lip.

"I'll never push you for anything you don't want," he assured her. "I just want to hold you."

She hesitated for a moment, before she nodded. "Okay."

He led her into the room, pulling the left side of the cover back for her to slide into. Stripping down to his boxers, he threw the clothes into the laundry basket and slid in beside her, holding his arms out for her. She didn't disappoint, moving as close to him as she could, burying herself in his warmth. He wrapped himself around her, his legs entwining with hers, and with a contented sigh, he buried his face into her fair. This was how he wanted to sleep every night.

He'd never been addicted to anything, but he could all too easily understand how he could become addicted to this.

* * *

Bella woke up slowly. She was unbelievably warm and comfortable, and it took her a moment to remember where she was. She blinked her eyes a few times before opening them fully, smiling slightly when she noticed how close Sam was holding her to his chest. He was still sound asleep and she didn't want to wake him. She let her mind run over the last few days, the wonder of Sam, the madness of the imprint, the slight worry that she was now eternally bound to this man.

He murmured her name in his sleep, and suddenly all the worry melted away. Being bound to him eternally was a gift, she realised. She would have the undeniable knowledge that she was the most important thing in his world, and she would never have to question his love or commitment to her. She shifted slightly in his arms, kissing his chest as she ran her fingers through the spattering of hair on his lower stomach. He shivered against her, and she looked up to find his dark eyes looking down at her.

He lifted a hand from her waist to cup her cheek, running his thumb over the apple, before he leant his head down to kiss her. She pressed against him, throwing caution to the wind. She wanted this man. She wanted him to be hers, and she wanted to be unequivocally his. One hand reached up to play with the hair at the back of his neck as she pushed her want and need into the kiss. One of his hands was spread across her back, almost covering the whole of it. The other was sliding from her face, down her neck and side and around to cup her ass, pulling her even closer.

She could feel his hardness press against her and she moaned into the kiss.

"Bella," Sam growled, making her moan again. She lifted her leg over his, pulling his ass forward with her foot as she ground against him. "Bella, I can't... I won't be able to stop, Bella."

"Good," she replied, biting at his bottom lip. He rolled them so he was leaning over her, his arms suddenly at either side of her head. His body dwarfed her own, but she'd never felt so safe as she did being surrounded by her wolf.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and she could see the strain it took him to slow them down enough to make sure this was what she wanted.

"Positive," she replied certainly, reaching a hand up to stroke his face. "I want you. Make me yours, Sam."

Her impassioned plea seemed to be his undoing, and he moved, nipping at her neck, as he sat up, pulling her with him. He pulled his shirt off her, tossing it carelessly to the side. Her bra soon followed, and he latched onto her left nipple with his lips, nibbling and sucking as she moaned her approval.

"That feels so good," she encouraged, her hands roving over him wherever she could reach. She wanted him closer, impossibly closer, she wanted him to take her, claim her, she wanted him to consume her whole.

"Sam, please. I need you."

"What do you need, baby? Tell me what you need."

"I want you inside me," she growled. "Please! I need to feel you!"

He moaned at her words, his hand moving down to tug at her underwear. Bella lay back against the pillows as Sam moved down her body, pulling her knickers with him. As before, they were tossed aside without thought. Pausing to enjoy the scent of her arousal, Sam allowed Bella to pull him back up to her. Opening her legs, she cradled him against her, moaning when she felt him at her entrance. He moved slowly, pushing in a little at a time as she adjusted to his rather considerable size. When he was inside her, fully sheathed, she let out a long, low moan.

She'd never felt so full. So complete.

"Move."

He needed no further instruction, pulling out and pushing in once more. Their moans blended together to make sinful music as the sun rose through the window. Lost to each other, Bella and Sam paid no mind to the birdsong outside, nor the light that was steadily moving through the room.

They became one with a shout, and Sam's teeth sank into his imprints neck as their fluids mixed together inside her.

They were complete.


	5. Chapter 5

Bella was making breakfast when peace was broken at Sam's cabin. Paul and Emily were the first to arrive, earning Bella's thanks when Paul handed over her overnight bag. Jared and Kim were soon to follow and before Bella knew it, she was cooking breakfast for all of the pack and the imprints, minus Angela and Jake.

Sam kissed her cheek when he entered the kitchen, freshly showered and looking deliciously edible.

"What are we having, baby?" he asked, looking curiously at the many pans Bella had going on his small cooker.

"Bacon, Eggs, Pancakes, Sausage, and there are blueberry muffins in," Bella listed off, smiling. "Em, could you keep an eye on this while I get a quick shower?"

"Sure thing, B. How long have the muffins been in?"

"About fifteen minutes or so," Bella replied, smiling at her before she grabbed the bag from Paul and headed upstairs. She showered quickly, enjoying the way the spray eased the muscle pains left over from their fantastic wake up call, before drying herself off and dressing in cut off jeans and another of Sam's t'shirts. Tying it off at the waist, she braided her still damp hair, and put her converse on. More ready to face the day, and the sure to come teasing from the pack, Bella descended the stairs.

Sam pulled her onto his lap as she walked past, burying his face in her neck. "You have no idea what it does to me when I see you in my clothes," he whispered, kissing the mark he'd made. She smiled at him, kissing him chastely before she pulled away, helping Emily to dish up the mountain of food.

"What are we doing today?" Paul asked, piling food up on his plate.

Bella shrugged. "I have no plans. I was going to head home and sort the house out. With Charlie practically living at Sue's now, its more or less not lived in and the cleaning has fallen to the wayside."

"You're going to be living there alone?" Kim asked, frowning.

"I guess so," Bella replied. "It's not a big deal. I'll spend the majority of my time up here anyway."

"Why don't you move up here then?" Leah asked. "You know my mum and Charlie would be happy to have you, and I don't mind sharing a room. We already share everything anyway."

"Or you could move in with us," Jared offered. Kim nodded.

"Or us," Emily added.

Bella seated herself on Sam's lap, picking food off his plate. "What's the big deal, guys?"

"We'd all feel better if you were living on the Res," Sam told her seriously. "I know that vampires aren't seen so often around here anymore, but you are better protected here than Forks. Besides, I like having you close."

Bella sighed. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Looks like it's going to be a clear day out," Embry said, successfully changing the subject. "We should all go cliff-diving."

The guys all smiled happily, nodding their heads.

"Are you actually going to jump this time, B?" Seth asked, a teasing lilt to his tone.

She shrugged, sticking her tongue out at him.

"You don't jump, baby?"

"I've done it once, with Jake. I've never jumped by myself."

"How about if you jump with me?" he asked, nuzzling her. "I'll keep you safe."

Pressing her lips to his cheek, Bella nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Sam was watching his pack having fun jumping off the cliff. He was lay out on the edge, Bella sitting beside him, soaking up the suns rays. They'd jumped twice, both times Bella had been wrapped up in his arms, before she decided she'd had enough. She tried to convince him to join the others but he couldn't see any appeal in jumping without her body pressing against his own. Kim, Leah, Jared and Emily had all called the jumping a day as well, and joined them.

He was just about to ask Bella if she would stay with him again that night when Collin came running around the cliff edge in wolf form. Sam jumped up, sliding his shorts down before he phased.

 _What's wrong?_

 _Vamps. Cullens. Want to see you._

Sam sighed.

 _Phase and tell them I have something to taken care of and that I'll explain when I get back. Ask Bella to wait for me._

 _Will do, Boss._

Turning around, Sam licked Bella's cheek, whining.

"Go take care of whatever you need to do, hun. I'll stick around the Res til you get back."

Thanking the gods that she was as understanding as she was, Sam set off at a run to the boundary line. It took less than ten minutes to get there, and sure enough, all seven of the Cullens were waiting for him. Wishing he had back up, even though he didn't think they'd attack him, Sam walked forward slowly. There was no way was he planning to phase in front of them.

"Hello Sam, thank you for meeting with us. I understand that you're not comfortable with phasing in front of us, Edward can read your mind and will translate for us," Carlisle Cullen, the head of the... _family_ , said.

 _What do you want?_

Edward translated in a flat voice, making Sam roll his eyes.

"We returned to visit with Isabella Swan. Alice had a vision of her returning to Forks, and we can smell her scent at the house, but we cannot find her. We thought that she could be on the reservation, since, apparently, Alice cannot see you."

The mind reader seemed quite put out with that, and had Sam been human, he'd have been smirking smugly at her.

 _That you can't find a human is hardly a reason to call for me here. Besides, as far as I was aware, you parted company with Isabella quite a long time ago._

"I hoped that, should she be on the Reservation, you could simply pass on the message that we'd like to see her," Carlisle replied calmly.

The mind reader was glaring at Sam, who ignored him.

 _If you'll wait here, I'll go and ask her if she'd like to see you._

He didn't want to make the offer, but he'd rather have Bella meet them at the boundary line than them intercept her alone in Forks.

"Thank you."

Going against every instinct in his body, Sam turned his back to the Cullens and ran back to where his pack was all seated around the imprints, waiting for news. Sam phased and Jared tossed his shorts over to the tree's so he could dress. Bella was standing when he walked out to where they waited, and he held his arms out for her to run into.

"The Cullen's are here, baby," he told her quietly. Of course the pack heard, and they all started sounding out their outrage at the return of the vampires that had damn near broken their sunshine.

"Guys, chill!" Bella shouted, before turning her attention back to Sam. "What do they want?"

"To see you. They scented you at Charlies, but Alice can't see you, so they figured out you were here."

"Then let's go see them," she sighed. "Can I ride on your back?"

"You can ride me anytime you want, baby," he murmured huskily in her ear. Straightening out, he looked at her seriously. "Are you sure you want to do this."

Bella nodded. "G-Man, Jellybean, come with us please? And you Leah."

The three of them nodded, kissing their imprints before they all ran into the woods to phase. Sam came back out a moment later, and Bella climbed carefully onto his back. Sam let Paul and Jared lead the way, with Leah bringing up the rear. Honestly, he'd have preferred to have all the pack with them, but he knew that they couldn't leave the rest of the imprints alone.

 _Everything will be fine, Sam._ _Bella loves you,_ Paul thought. _And don't think we haven't noticed the claiming mark on her neck. What do you think Eddie's gonna make of that?_

 _Don't really give a fuck what he thinks to be honest,_ Sam answered honestly. _She... what if she wants to go back to them?_

 _Never happen,_ Jared though, and he was so certain that Sam couldn't help but believe him.

As the Cullens came into view, the four wolves slowed their run to a walk. Jared and Paul sat down at the line edge, and Sam sat slightly behind them. Leah stayed on her feet to Sams side, her teeth bared threateningly. Bella shifted slightly but didn't get off Sam's back. Instead, she started running her hands soothingly through his fur.

"Bella," Edward gasped out. "I missed you so much, love."

"Why are you all here?" Bella asked flatly, shaking her hair behind her.

"We've missed you, love," Edward replied, frowning slightly. "I know I made a huge mistake when I left, but I want to rectify that. Please, Bella, give me a chance to make it right."

"If that's all you're here for, you've had a wasted journey," Bella said, her eyes on Edward. "You left me. You almost broke me. Now you think you can just turn up out of nowhere and I'll hop skip and jump right back into your arms because you've finally decided you made a mistake?"

"But, Bella -"

"You don't even get to talk to me," Bella snarled, her eyes whipping around to meet Alice's. "You were my best friend, my sister, and you didn't even say goodbye! Did you see me trying to find Edward in the woods, Alice? Did you see my father getting sick while he tried everything he could think of to make me better? Did you see the catatonic state I was left in for months because none of you thought I deserved a simple goodbye? What about Victoria and Laurent both trying to kill me? Huh? Did you see that Alice?"

"I'll kill them," Edward growled.

"Too late," Bella announced. "My wolves took care of them both. Ripped them to pieces and danced around the bonfires."

" _Your_ wolves?" Edward sniffed.

"Yes. _My_ Wolves. Was there anything else you wanted? Only we were having fun and you've interrupted our day."

Sam had never felt such a relieved elation as he was feeling at the moment. He could hear Paul and Jared's amused thoughts as his girl successfully tore apart the vampires in front of them without having to life a finger. He was so proud of her.

"I'm sorry for any hurt we've caused you, Bella," Carlisle said, as the others stared at her in shock. "We wish you the very best in life. We won't bother you again."

"NO!" Edward shouted. "I'm not leaving! Bella, this is ridiculous. You are my mate, dammit, I can't live without you!"

Bella snorted. "You seem to have managed just fine these past five years. I'm not your mate, Edward. I'm Sam's imprint. See?" She moved the shoulder of the t-shirt she was wearing to show the claim mark.

"I need you, Bella, please," Edward begged, a look of pure agony on his face.

Bella sighed. "Edward, I'm not doing this to hurt you. I'm not sadistic. I don't want to cause you any pain, but I'm not your mate. What we had was special, but it was first love, and you need to get over it. Your mate is still out there waiting for you. It's just not me. I wish you all the best, but my life is here now."

"Bella, before you go... I'm very sorry for what happened on your birthday. I should have never lost control the way I did, and I'm sorry if my actions caused you any pain."

Turning to Jasper, Bella smiled. "I never blamed you, Jazz. I'm not sure if the rest of your family have selective memory, but I know your an empath, and what is bloodlust if it's not an emotion. Look after yourself, okay? You're stronger than you think."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I love you," Alice whimpered.

Unable to hold her anger at the pixie, Bella climbed off Sam's back. With Leah flanking her, she walked to the edge of the boundary line and held her arms open. When Alice hugged her, Bella felt her eyes welling with tears.

"I love you too, Ali. I'll miss you."

"Have a beautiful life, Bella. It's no less than you deserve."

Climbing back onto Sam's back, Bella rubbed his head gently. "Take me home, Sam."

Sam turned away from the Cullens, but Bella squeezed his sides with her heels. "Hang on. Carlisle?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Can you... not come back? Ever?"

"May I ask why?"

"The presence of Vampires is what caused the phasing process to begin."

Carlisle nodded. "That makes sense. Very well, Bella. We will avoid coming so close to the reservation in the future. I'm sorry we didn't do better by you."

Bella smiled. "Goodbye Carlisle."

Sam trotted away, waiting for the others to surround him before they set off running.

I'm going to take Bella to my place, Sam told them. Please don't disturb us unless it's an emergency until the morning.

No worries Sam. We'll set up patrols with the others as well, until we know the leeches have fucked off, Paul replied.

Thank you.

They broke apart when they got close to the cabin, Paul, Jared and Leah heading back to the cliff edge. Sam continued to the porch, waiting for Bella to climb off his back before he phased and scooped her up in his arms, taking her into the house and kicking the door shut behind him.

* * *

Bella lay against Sam's chest, absently playing with the hair there. He'd taken her straight to the shower when they entered, and after washing them both, he'd returned her to his bed and made long, sweet love to her, reaffirming that she was his. She understood his need and didn't mind it at all.

"I was so scared I was about to lose you," he admitted in a whisper, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Never," she replied, simply. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too. It all seems to have happened so fast."

"It feels right though, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. "Move in with me, baby?"

* * *

 **AN**

I very much enjoyed writing this story... mostly because I've never really thought about the wolves beyond thinking that Jacob needed neutering. I'm kinda wanting to write a BellaPaul fic now...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. I know I've left it open ended, and I'll probably add an epilogue to it eventually, but I like that you can decide what she answered to his question.

Thank you for reading, and to everyone who reviewed/favourited/followed.


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